Cherry Plum & Lavender Jam

I remember learning how to make jam by watching my mum as a child. I clearly recall one year my Dad had picked all the ripe plums off our enormous tree and brought them to her to make jam. It was 40 degrees in the middle of a Victorian heatwave and the last thing Mum wanted to do was hover over a hot stove. Being  a Pom (that's a Brit for those of you that don't know) she always wilted in the heat, so she popped on her swimmers and that's how she made the jam. I can still picture her in her red costume standing in our kitchen,making it.

My mum passed away in November, and I flew down to Tasmania for a week to keep my Dad company over Christmas. We went to visit Bridestowe Lavender Farm and I picked up some culinary lavender as I hadn't got around to replacing my lavender bushes yet. When the cherry plums were ripe last week I decided to pair them together to make jam - lavender adds a really lovely floral fragrance and taste to sweets, don't be afraid to try it! It is important you use lavender that has not been sprayed, so either grow some of your on or purchase the Culinary kind.

Ingredients:
1 kilo cherry plums, pitted
1 kilo caster sugar
2 lemons
1 tablespoon lavender

Method
Sterilise your jars and place a couple of teaplates in the fridge before you begin.

1. Place the plums and sugar in  a squeaky clean heavy based saucepan. Juice the lemons and add the juice to the pan. Add the lemon peel to the mixture (this helps the jam set, you will remove it later).

2. Stir the pan well, and bring the mixture to a boil, then quickly turn to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning. Add the lavender and keep cooking until the fruit is very soft, and falling apart.

3.You can use a slotted spoon to skim scum off the top for a clear jam. To test if the jam is set take one of your plates from the fridge and drop a teaspoon of jam onto it. Give it  a minute to cool, and tip the plate to the side. If it is set the jam shouldn't run down the plate but stay in a blob.

4. Remove the lemon peel, and pour the hot jam into your sterilised jars, pop the lid on and allow to cool. To help the lids seal better, once the lid is on turn the jar upside down for five minutes, and then right side up, it heats the lid and as it cools brings it down. Any opened jam should be stored in the fridge, but in a cool dark cupboard unopened the jam should keep for at least six months.

Black Tahini Baba Ganouj

Dips are definitely a comfort food - but depending on what kind they can definitely be good for you too in moderation! One of my favourites is baba ganouj, I could eat a bucket of it. Tahini - an important ingredient in baba ganouj is  a great source of protein, calcium, B1, and fibre, as well as many other minerals such as copper and magnesium. You don't have to use black tahini, however use unhulled tahini if you can - it contains a much higher amount of the vitamins and minerals you are after!

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
2 Tablespooons black tahini
2 tablespoons unhulled tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 1 large lemon (approx 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (extra for garnish)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
pinch salt
1 /2 cup chopped parsley (extra for garnish)
EVOO for drizzling

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the eggplant, whole, on a baking tray and bake for 20 -30 minutes, until soft.
2.To get the smoky flavour you can either use a BBQ hotplate to finish it off, or if you have a gas stove using tongs turn the eggplant over the flame frequently until the skin blackens. Allow to cool.
3.Cut the eggplant inot large chunks, and place into a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until smooth and well combined.
4. Put into a bowl or jar, sprinkle some extra paprika and parsley over the top, and drizzle with a little oil.

Serve with some good bread or crackers, on its own or part of a platter!

Comfort Food: Pulled Mushroom Burger with Wasabi Cashew Sauce

It has been quite a while since I have done a post. If you don't want the boring details skip to the recipe. It's great, I promise! I'll be doing a series on comfort foods over the next few weeks, and not all of them are the "give me something deep fat fried and smothered in chocolate" variety although those do have their place occasionally. I'm talking about comfort foods that nourish the body as well as the spirit. If you're in Australia remember that ad for Uncle Toby's oats where the kid tucks into a bowl of warm porridge and eating it is "like having a hug"? That's what I mean. Food that gives your body a hug.

To put this into perspective, life has been extraordinarily busy and somehow I lost time to do things for myself. I do a lot of volunteer work which is quite demanding, and this coupled with a Series  of Unfortunate Events  has left me a frazzled burnt out human. Word of warning here folks: self care is not optional. How can we take care of others if we don't take care of ourselves? No matter how demanding the world is, if you don't take time for yourself and recharge, you won't be a help to anyone! You know when you hop on a plane and the flight attendant gives you the instructions for emergencies? The first thing you do is put your oxygen mask on before you assist anyone else. That's what I need to do, and right now that oxygen mask is taking time to do the things I love.

So, about this burger....

Oyster mushrooms when cooked take on a silky texture like slow cooked pulled meat. It's been a very long time since I had meat, but I think it's a fair approximation. Cooked with ginger, garlic, and coriander root it sucks up the flavours to make a great vego version of Vietnamese banh mi thit. With a crunchy slaw it's a pretty healthy looking roll. Admittedly wasabi isn't Vietnamese but with cashews it makes a very tangy dressing. The Beloved really liked them and wants them again, so give them a bash and enjoy!

Makes 6 rolls

Tip: Make everything ahead but slicing up the apple, cover and store in the fridge to make up a snappy dinner or lunch!

Ingredients:
6 crusty rolls

For the Filling:
300g oyster mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 thumb piece ginger
5cm piece of lemongrass
1 bunch of coriander (including root and stem)
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 sliced Lebanese cucumber
1 shredded apple
1/2 cup sliced spring onions (I'm talking about the long thin variety which some people call shallots).
rice wine vinegar
vegetable oil

For the Dressing:
125g raw cashews
2 tsp veg stock powder (I used massel)
1 1/2 cups of water
1 tube wasabi (used in increments to get the desired heat)

Method:

1. Put the cashews, veg stock, and water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Once it has reached a boil turn down and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes, then set aside to cool.

2. While the cashews are cooking, cut off the leafy part of the coriander and set aside. Finely chop the roots and stems and put into a small bowl. Crush the garlic,  zest the lemongrass and ginger, and add to coriander stem with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to make a paste.

3.In a deep frypan or wok fry the spice paste on low heat until fragrant. Add the spring onions, and then add the oyster mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes more.

4. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan  and put the lid on, turning the heat down to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

5. Remove the lid from the mushroom mixture and keep cooking until all the liquid has evaporated (if it hasn't already). Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

6. Shred the cabbage, carrot, chop the coriander leaves roughly and toss together ina bowl with a little rice wine vinegar. Shred apple and slice the cucumber and put into a bowl and toss two tablespoons rice wine vinegar over it, set aside.

7. Blitz the cashews with the stock in a blender until thick and smooth (You can use a stick blender but it will take longer). If it is too thick just add a little more water. Blend the wasabi a little at a time until you reach the "heat" you're after. I put a whole 45g tube in, but you might not want that much!

8. Shred the cooked mushrooms with two forks to pull them apart, it will look a lot like shredded meat.

9. Cut your buns in half and spread a thin layer of margarine if desired. Put a layer of slaw, and then a a couple of spoons of the mushroom, topping with a generous dollop of wasabi cashew sauce. Serve on its own or with chips. Enjoy!